


The Midsummer Event

by Bluewolf458



Category: The Sentinel
Genre: Gen, Sentinel Bingo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-10
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-20 16:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14897910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bluewolf458/pseuds/Bluewolf458
Summary: It's Major Crime's turn to host a midsummer event to support Child Services





	The Midsummer Event

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the 2018 Sentinel Bingo prompt 'cross dressing'

The Midsummer Event

by Bluewolf

Nobody was quite sure who had initially thought it would be a good idea to have Cascade PD sponsor events for Child Services. But it was something that had been done for many years.

Certainly it let the children, many of them from seriously disadvantaged backgrounds, see that the police weren't the enemy. But even understanding that, most of the police were happier when it was some other department's turn to provide for those events.

And now it was Major Crime's turn.

Simon glared at the memo from the Commissioner.

This was the 'event' all the departments most hated, if only because it was the one that had no obvious theme.

Just what sadist had decided that midsummer was a good time to have an 'event'? But he could guess; the other assigned dates were Christmas, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Hallowe'en, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving... and seven departments - Vice, Homicide, Narcotics, Major Crime, Patrol, Robbery, Fraud... only Forensics was left out, mainly because it was such a small unit compared to the others. But seven dates, seven departments... it would mean each department having the same 'holiday' each year. So TPTB had decided on eight dates - but instead of choosing something like Columbus Day or Washington's Birthday, both of which at least had a possible theme, someone had chosen midsummer day.

Simon had known for the past year that this day would come... had known that it was Major Crime's turn for it... had known he should have been thinking about it - but he had procrastinated. He hadn't been quite sure what he'd been hoping for to save him from this, but nothing had happened to keep this memo from landing on his desk.

It was up to the department whose responsibility it was to decide whether to have a themed party for the children, or stage something for the general public, with the profits going to Child Services. Simon had done both over the years he had captained Major Crime, and had never been able to decide which he disliked more. Yes, the children enjoyed the parties, but it lost him money from the not-over-generous budget that was supposed to cover all his 'petty' expenses. A staged show at least earned money...

He heaved a sigh, crossed to his door and opened it, looking out at the bullpen. Something about the way everyone was apparently buried in work made him suspect that Rhonda had alerted everyone to the situation.

"Listen up!" he snapped. "We have a month to prepare something for the Child Services midsummer event."

He wasn't quite sure who it was, but he had the strong suspicion it was Jim who muttered, "I know this is a good cause, but how the hell do the Powers That Be expect us to deal with crime when we're entertaining the kids?"

"A picnic would be easiest," Joel offered.

"The Commissioner has hinted fairly strongly that because Homicide and Narcotics did picnics in the last two years, it might be a good idea if we did something different." Simon's annoyance was clear in his voice.

"That would mean something staged," Megan said.

"And a month doesn't give us long to rehearse one," Rafe muttered. "But what could we do? The obvious play would be Midsummer Night's Dream, but we don't have enough people to do that."

"Not in full," Blair said slowly, "but... " He paused, clearly thinking. "Simon, can you give me the rest of the day off? I think I can come up with something, but I'll need to speak to one or two people... "

"All right," Simon said.

Blair nodded, shut down his computer, grabbed his jacket and rushed out.

***

There was no sign of Blair when Jim arrived home. He thought about it for a minute, then prepared a meal that could be kept warm indefinitely; he had a suspicion that Blair would be late.

He was right. Blair eventually arrived home a little after 9 pm, a pleased grin on his face. He hung up his jacket, crossed to the couch, put his backpack on the table, dug into it and pulled out several sheets of paper stapled together.

"You found something?" Jim asked as he crossed to the oven. "Hungry?"

Blair's grin widened. "Jim, you're a treasure. I think I'll keep you!"

"So - " Jim said, ladling stew onto a plate - "what did you find?"

"It wasn't so much a case of finding something as persuading the English department at Rainier to lend me it," Blair said. He exchanged the sheaf of paper for the plate of stew. "We'll need to give them credit for it, but I'm quite sure that won't be a problem." He began eating.

Jim glanced at the front page. "A Midsummer Night's... " He stopped short. "Fantasy?"

Blair swallowed. "Goes back four or five years," he said and took another mouthful of stew. He chewed, swallowed. "Dr. Greig gave his senior class a challenge; to rewrite A Midsummer Night's Dream. It counts as one of Shakespeare's comedies, but that doesn't mean it's roll-in-the-aisles funny." He took another mouthful. "Well, it might have been, five hundred years ago, but today? It's fairly light-hearted, but I don't think it gets many actual laughs when it's performed. Even Doc Greig felt that. So he challenged the class to do a rewrite of it - with a cast of six to ten - in a form that would make today's audiences laugh. He gave them a free hand - they could work individually, in pairs, in small groups - if only because he was aware that not everyone has a gift for making people laugh." He began eating again, aware that the food was getting cold, and he was really too hungry to wait till it was heated up again.

Jim turned his attention to the stapled 'book' in his hand. He began reading, and was soon grinning. "Hey, this is good!"

Blair swallowed his last mouthful. "That was the winner - a collaboration by three of the class. It was performed at that year's summer 'concert' by the drama graduates. The guys who wrote it are apparently doing well scripting material for one of TV's top comedy shows.

"Doc Greig made sure it was copyrighted to them. Strictly speaking we should pay a fee for using it, but when I explained what it was for, he contacted them and they've waived the fee for a single performance. We just have to give them credit for it. That should be okay, shouldn't it?"

"I can't see Simon quibbling over it," Jim agreed.

"I've even managed to arrange to get period costume for it," Blair added. He chuckled. "Megan can play one of the female roles, but someone else will have to cross-dress for the other one."

"I'd guess Simon will target you for that."

"I thought I'd maybe play Puck."

"How about H for Puck?"

"Too tall," Blair said. "Puck's an elf!"

"Tell that to Orlando Bloom," Jim said.

"Huh?"

"Lord of the Rings? Legolas?"

"Oh." Blair gave a half-amused snort. "Have to admit I never paid much attention to the actors' names. It was always about the characters... " He thought for a moment. "Simon might have settle for whoever the costume fits. Most of them come on various sizes, but one or two don't. I think the Puck costume is one of those. It's a small size, and I'm the smallest guy in Major Crime - hell, even Megan is taller! So - " His grin widened. "No cross-dressing for me!"

***

Blair was right; he was the only one the Puck costume would fit. So Rafe had the 'pleasure' of cross-dressing for the PD's production of A Midsummer Night's Fantasy - directed by Blair - which even the Commissioner admitted was undoubtedly the best staged event in the PD's history of sponsoring Child Services.

And in the audience were Dr. Greig and the three writers of the play; all four were gratified when Blair, as director, gave a short concluding speech which gave the story behind the script and thanked the writers for waiving the fee for staging it, and the English and Drama Departments at Rainier for their assistance. He finished by saying, "All the money from this event will be going to Child Services - and in the foyer, as you leave, you'll see some collecting boxes. Anything you care to donate will be added to the total for the evening. Thank you all for giving us your support."

The total was the largest amount ever raised at any event staged by any of the PD departments. The MCU personnel were happy about that - but at the same time they were all well aware that they would be expected to do as well - or better - next time. And Captain Baldwin of Robbery was very unhappy, wondering how his department could possibly come near to doing even half as well when it was their turn to do the midsummer event the following year.

At least, Simon thought, when it was his department's turn to do midsummer again, it wouldn't be his responsibility; he would be retired. But - he thought gleefully - Blair would still be there... and whoever the next Captain was would undoubtedly call on him for inspiration.

But Simon was quite sure that Blair would, once again, rise to the occasion.

 

 


End file.
